POCO Certificate – the Perfect Supplement to Journalism

I knew for sure that I wanted to be a broadcast journalist during my junior year of high school. However, I faced a dilemma: I loved watching the news, relaying the news to my friends, and analyzing the news with my dad, but I hated the thought of having to interview some woman who just found her 3-year-old daughter’s lifeless body behind a trash can. I couldn’t imagine spending my life interviewing hurting people during the worst time in their lives, all to “get a story.”

But I also couldn’t imagine myself as anything other than a journalist. And, to have some seasoned journalists tell it, there is no other choice but to report on all that is gory.

I first became interested in politics, particularly the presidential elections, in 2000. The media extensively covered George W. Bush and Al Gore’s campaigns, and I was intrigued. In 2004, I turned eighteen, just in time to vote in the 2004 presidential election. I stood in line at the polls for two hours that day, well-versed on the candidates (having followed the entire race) and ready to cast an educated vote. I stayed up in front of the television until about 11:30pm that night waiting for the results of the election to be aired. I think it was around that time as I flipped through Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC and listened to everyone’s opinions of the candidates, analysis of the difference between the candidates, and predictions of the outcome that I decided what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a political analyst.

With that in mind, when I was accepted into the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, I decided to major in Broadcast and minor in Political Science. I searched the course catalog for the classes I needed to in order to graduate in four years as an aspiring political journalist. That is when I stumbled upon a hidden jewel: the Political Communication certificate. Why have I never heard of this? I wondered. I gathered all of the information I could about the certificate.

The certificate is a collaboration between the Scripps College of Communication and the College of Arts & Science’s Political Science department. As the website states, “Political Communication encompasses the interactions of political figures, political issues, the media, and the public.” The certificate is open to all undergraduates in any program at the university. And, I definitely recommend the Political Communication certificate to people who are political junkies like I am and aspiring to be political journalists or even lobbyists. It is a great supplement to any degree, but especially journalism.

Fall quarter of sophomore year, I took the introductory course POCO 201. To say the least, I learned a lot. Anne Gordy was my professor and she was great. The class was everything I expected it to be. We had many interactive class discussions, the lectures were informative, and we watched different political documentaries.

There is no way of knowing exactly where life will take me, but with my journalism degree coupled with a Political Communication certificate, I know I will be totally prepared. Alissa Griffith